Automatic electric signal for railway-crossings



No. slams. Patented'reb. 7, |899.

. u. .l. FRY. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC SIGNAL' FDR RAILWAY CBOSSINGS.

(Applicatign led Sept. 26. 1898.)

@3% AZMMMQMM wwe/15.5

No. 6l91038. Y Patented Feb. 7, |899.

U. J. FRY. UTOMATIC ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOB RAlLWAY CBSSINGS.

y 'A lication led 6,1898.) (No Medel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' Wa Il..

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

'URIAS FRY, OF MILWAUKEE, W'ISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY-CROSSINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,038, dated February7, 1899.

Application filed September 26,1898. Serial No. 691,885, (No model.)

To all Loh/011e it may concern:

Be it known that'l, URIAS J. FRY, a citizen v of the United States,residing at Milwaukee,

in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certainnew and useful vImprovements in Automatic Electric Signals forRailway-Crossin gs, ofv which the following is a specification,referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The main object of my invention is to protect a crossing or otherdanger-point on a railway by ringing a bell or giving an alarm, whichshall begin when a train approaches within a certain distance andcontinue until 4it has cleared the crossing or other dangerpoint.

It consists in certain novel constructions,ar rangements, andcombinations of parts here- -inafter particularly described, and pointedout in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings like letters and numerals designate thesame parts in both .y I .Illdl figures.

Figure l is a diagram of signal apparatus embodying my improvements asapplied to a single-track railway on which trains are intended to run inboth directions, and Fig. 2 is a similar diagram of a modied form of theapparatus as applied to a double-track railway.

Referring to Fig. l, A designates a railwaytrack of a single-track road,and B the crossing of a street or highway or other dangerpoint to beprotected by the apparatus. At a suitable distance from and on oppositesides of the crossing or danger-point the track is provided withinsulated rails or sections 1,2, 3, and 4 and at or near the crossing ordanger-point with an insulated rail or section 5. The rails or sectionsof track opposite the insulated rails or sections above mentioned arepreferably insulated and have ground connections 6, 7, and 8.

9 designates a local electric circuit, which includes a battery C orother source of current and a bell D or other suitable alarmsignal,audible or visible. The terminals of this circuit are attached tobinding-posts 10 and 11.

E is a pivoted switch-arm, which may be designated the primary switch.Itis provided with a spring-contact e, insulated therefrom andelectrically connected with the binding-post ll of the local or alarmcircuit. c is an adjust-able contact arranged to be engaged by thespring-contact e when the switch-arm, E is turned to the left.

circuit. The switch-arm E is also provided on the opposite side with aspring-contact e2, which is insulated therefrom and is adapted to engagewith a contact-screw e3 when said arm is turned to the right, as shownin the drawings.

c4 is a contact-screw with which the switcharm E is arranged to engageand with which itmakes an electrical connection when it'is turned to theextreme right.

F is an electromagnet, which may be designated the primary magnet. It isarranged to actupon the switch-arm E and turn it to the right intoengagement with the contact c4. e5 is a spring acting on said switch-armin opposition to said magnet and tending to turn it to the left and tocarry the spring-contact e into engagement with the contact e.

G is a pivoted switch-arm arranged to vibrate between two screws oradjustable stops g andg'. The screw g serves as an electrical contactand is connected with the bindingpost lO, and the screw g' serves as aback-stop. The switch-arm G is electrically connected with thebinding-post l1. H is an electromagnet arranged to act upon saidswitch-arm and to draw it into engagement with the contact-screw g. g2is a spring acting on said switch-arm in opposition to said magnet andtending to hold it normally in engagement with the' back-stop g.

I is a pivoted detent formed or provided with a hook at its free end,which is adapted to engage with the free end of the switch-arm E andhold it normally in the position in which it is shown in the drawings,with its contact c2 in engagement with the contact e3 and its contact cseparated from the contact c. Said detent makes electrical connectionwith said switch-arm when it is in engagement therewith. The hook withwhich it is provided is beveled, so that the switch-arm E when turned tothe right will automatically slip into engagement therewith. i is abackstop which limits the movement of said detent in proper position toengage with said switch- It is electrically con-K. nected with thebinding-post l0 of the alarm- IOO arm, and z" is a spring tending tohold said detent in engagement with said back-stop and switch-arm.

J is an electromagnet, which may be designated the releasing-magnet. Itis arranged to act on the detent I and when energized to draw it awayfrom the stop i out of engagement with the switch-arm E.

12, 13, 14, and 15 are binding-posts with which the outside electricalconnections of the apparatus are made. The binding-post 12 is connectedwith the switch-arm E. One terminal of magnet J is connected with thedetent I and the other terminal with the binding-post 15. Thebinding-post 13 is connected with one terminal of the magnet H, theother terminal of which is connected with the contact e2 and with oneterminal of the magnet F. The other terminal of magnet F is connectedwith the binding-post 15. The binding-post 14 is connected with thecontacts es and c4.

K is the main battery or source of current supplying the outsidecircuits of the appa-I ratus. One pole of this battery is connected withthe bindingpost 15, while the other pole has a ground connection 16. Thetwo outside insulated track rails or sections l and 3 are connected bywires or conductors 17 with the binding-post 12, the two insideinsulated rails or sections 2 and 4 by wires or conductors 18 with thebinding-post 14, and the intermediate insulated rail or section 5 by awire or conductor 19 with the bindingpost 13. Y

This form of the apparatus operates as follows: Assuming that a train isapproaching from the right in the direction indicated by the arrow, whenthe first truck or pair of wheels passes upon the insulated rail ortrack-section 1 the circuit will be completed between said rail orsection and the opposite rail or section which is grounded. Current willthen pass from the main battery through the coils of magnet J, detent I,switch-arm E, binding-post 12, wire 17, insulated rail 1, the truck orpair of wheels in contact therewith to the opposite rail, and thencethrough the ground connection 6 to the opposite pole of battery Kthrough its ground connection 16. The magnet J being energized attractsthe detent I and draws it out of engagement with the switch-arm E, whichis thereupon drawn to the left by the spring e5, carrying the contact einto engagement with the contact e' and closing the local circuit. Thebell D is thus caused to ring and will continue to ring until the localcircuit 9 is opened, as hereinafter explained. When the rst truck orpair of Wheels of the train passes upon the insulated rail 2, it willhave no eect on the apparatus, because the circuit 18, with which it isconnected, has been opened between the contacts e2 and e3 by themovement of the switch-arm E to the left, as above stated. When,however, the first pair of wheels passes upon the insulated rail 5 at ornear the point to be protected, the circuit 19 will be closed throughthe coils of the magnets II and F,

battery K, and ground connections 7 and 16. The magnet H being thusenergized turns the switch-arm G into engagement with contact g, thusclosing the local circuit 9 at that point. At the same time magnet Fdraws the switcharm E back into engagement with the contact e4, carryingthe contact c away from the contact e. The apparatus will remain in thiscondition and the bell will continue to ring while the train is passingover the insulated rail or track-section 5 g but when the last truck orpair of wheels passes olf from this section, breaking the circuit 19,magnets F and II will be denergized'and the switch-arms E and G willbe'released, the switch-arm E will be turned slightly to the left byspring e5 into the position in which it is shown in the drawings, andthe switch-arm G will be turned by the spring g2 out of engagement withthe contact g, thus breaking the local circuit 9 and stopping the alarm.The apparatus thus left in its normal condition will remain inert untilit is brought into action by another train approaching in eitherdirection. When the train which has just passed the crossing or otherdanger-point to the left reaches the insulated track-section 4, it willclose the circuit 18 and thus cause magnet F to draw the switch-arm Eagainst the contact e4. This has the eect of electrically connecting thetwo insulated track-sections 3 and 4, so that when the last wheels ofthe train pass over section 3 current will pass through the switcharm E,contacts e4, e3, and e2, thence through the coils of magnet F,thusholding said switcharm in that position out of electrical contact withthe detent I, and thereby preventing current from passing through andenergizing the magnet J. As soon as the last wheels of the train clearthe insulated section 3 magnet F will be denergized, and the switch-armE, thus released, will be caught and held in its normal position by thedetent I. The operation of the apparatus bya train passing in theopposite direction is the same as above described.

In place of the ground connections metallic circuits, as indicated bythe dotted lines 2O and 21, may be substituted, and for this purposewire fences, when accessible, may be utilized.

To insure the catching and holding of the switch-arm E by the detent I,the hook of said detent may Abe attached to a light spring, whichin'turn is attached at its end opposite the hook to the main arm of thedetent, so that when the switch-arm is drawn to the right by magnet Fsaid hook will yield upward without straining the spring fi', thusopposing Very little resistance to thellocking movement of theswitch-arm.

Referring to Fig. 2, showing the apparatus adapted and applied to adouble-track rail- IOO IIO

cuit 9 may be operated with either set.

way, two sets oi instruments X and Y, substantially like that shown inFig. 1, are employed,with the exception that a single alarmcircuit 9serves for both sets of instruments and the insulated rails ortrack-sections 2 and 4, the circuit connections 18, and the contacts e2,e3, and e4 are dispensed with. The binding-posts 10 and 11 of the twosets of instruments are connected in parallel by wires or conductors 22, so that the bell or alarm cir- As shown in the diagram, thebinding-post 12 of instrument X is connected by wire 17 with the distantinsulated rail or track-section 1 of track A, on which trains run, asindicated by the arrow, from right to left. The bindingpost 13 of thisinstrument is connected by wire 19 with the insulated rail ortrack-section 5 in the same Atrack at or near the crossing B or otherpoint to be protected. Thev binding-post 12 ofinstrument Y is connectedby Wire 17 with the distantinsulated rail or track-section 2 of thetrack A', on which trains are run, as indicated by the arrow, from leftto right, and the binding-post 13 of this instrument is connected bywire 19 with the insulated rail or track-section 5 in the same track ator near the crossing B or point to be protected.

This form of the apparatus operates as follows: Assuming that a train isapproaching on track A in the direction indicated by the arrow, when thefirst truck or pair of'wheels passes upon section 1, closing the circuit17 between the opposite rails, current will flow through the switch-armE, detent I, magnet J, and battery K of instrument X, and the magnet J,being thus energized,will disengage the detent from said switch-arm,allowing the latter to close the alarm-circuit 9 and 22 at e e' and ringthe bell or give an alarm. The bell will continue to ring or the alarmto sound or be displayed until the first truck or pair of wheels passesupon the insulated rail or section 5, whereupon the circuit 19 will beclosed through magnets H and F, thereby closing the alarm-circuit at gand opening it at e e', the switch-arm E being drawn by magnet F intoposition to be engaged and held by detent I. Vhen the last truck or pairof wheels of the train passes ott from the insulated rail or secltion 5,the magnets H and F will be denergized,the alarm-circuit 9 and 22 willbcbroken,

the alarm will cease, and the switch-arm E,

released by magnet F,will be caught and held by the hook of detent I inthe position in which it is shown in the drawings and in condition to beoperated by another train. T he operation oi' the apparatus by a trainpassing in the opposite direction on track A is the same, except thatinstrument Y will be brought into action instead of instrument X inconnection with the local alarm-circuit 9.

It will be observed from a comparison of the apparatus shown in the twoiigures of the drawings that the function of the switch G and magnet His to prolong the alarm after the train has reached the crossing orpoint to be protected and the primary switch-arm E has been retracted bymagnet F until the entire train has passed. By this means the alarm issounded or displayed so that it may be heard or seen by trainmen on anypart ot the train. This is an item of importance, since it enablestrainmen to easily observe whether the apparatus is in working order,and if it is not to promptly report the fact. It also enables them todetermine with certainty whether an accident occurs by reasonofdisregard of the signal on the part of a person attempting to cross thetrack in advance of an approaching train. It will also be observed thatthe function of the circuit connections 18 and contacts e2, e3, and e4(shown in Fig. 1) is in the application of the apparatus to asingle-track road to prevent a train after it has passed the crossing ordangerpoint from releasing the primary switch-arm E, sounding ordisplaying the alarm, `and leaving the apparatus in'an inoperativecondition for another train.

Metallic return connections in place of the ground connections may beemployed in the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 as in the apparatus shown inFig. 1.

While the electromagnets employed in the apparatus hereinbeforedescribed are subject to the effects of lightning, the instruments willnot be left in abnormal or inoperative condition by reason of suchdisturbance. Each of the circuits 17 and 1S will take up as much of thedisturbing element as the other, with the following result: The currentpassing through circuit 18, which is closed in the normal condition ofthe apparatus through the contacts e2 and e3 and magnet F, will causethe switch-arm E to move to the right out of contact with the detent I,thus cutting magnet J out of circuit. The magnet F will retain itsmagnetism until all electrical disturbance has passed from bothcircuits, whereupon the switch-arm E will drop back into its normalposition in engagement with said detent.

Various changes in the minor details of the apparatus may be madewithout affecting its operation or departing from the spirit of myinvention. In place of the 'insulated rails or track-sections shown inthe diagrams any form of track instrument or circuit-closing device bymeans of which passing trains will be enabled to close the circuits 17,18, and 19 at the points where the insulated rails are 1ocated may beused.

I claim- 1. In signal apparatus for the protection of a crossing ordanger-point on a line of railway, the combination of a local circuitincludingia signal and source of current, primary and secondary switcheseach arranged to close said circuit independently of the other, primaryand secondary magnets for operating IOO IIO

aux

disengaging said detent and permitting said switch to close, a circuitincluding the primary switch-arm, the detent, the releasingmagnet and asource of current and adapted to be closed by a train approaching thecrossing or point to be protected, and another circuit adapted to beclosed by a train at or near the point to be protected and includingboth the primary and secondary magnets and a source of current,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In electric signal apparatus for the protection of crossings ordanger-points on rail-l ways, the combination of a local circuitincluding a signal and source of current, a primary switch having anormal tendency to close, a secondary switch having a normal tendency toopen, aprimary magnet arranged to open the primary switch, a secondarymagnet arranged to close the secondary switch, a deten t normallyholding the primary switch open, a releasing-magnet arranged whenenergized to disengage the detent from the primary switch, a circuitadapted to be closed at a distant point by an approaching train andincluding the primary switch-arm, the detent, the releasing-magnet and asource of current and another circuit adapted to be subsequently closedby the passing train at or near the point to be protected, and includingthe primary and secondary magnets and a source of current, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

3. In signal apparatus for the protection of acrossing or danger-pointon a line of railway, the combination of a local circuit including asignal and source of current, primary and secondary switches in saidcircuit, primary and secondary magnets arranged to operate saidswitches, a detent normally holding the primary switch open, areleasingmagnet for disengaging the detent and closing the localcircuit,a circuit including the primary switcharm, the detent, the coilsof the releasingmagnet, and a source of current, and leading to distantpoints in the track on opposite sides of the crossing or point to beprotected, a second circuit leading to points in the track inside of ornearer the crossing than the points in the first circuit, and includingcontacts of the primary switch, the coils of the primary magnet and asource of current, and a third circuit leading to a point in the trackat or near the crossing or danger-point, and including the coils of bothprimary and secondary magnets and a source of current, substan tially asand for the purposes set forth.

4. In electric signal apparatus for railways, the combination of a localcircuit including a signal and source of current, primary and secondaryswitches each arranged to close said circuit independently of the other,means tending to close the primary switch, means tending to open thesecondary switch, a primary magnet arranged to open the primary switch,a secondarymagnet tending to close the secondary switch, a detentnormally holding the primary switch open, a releasing-magnet arranged todisengage said detent 'from the primary switch, an insulated contactcarried by the primary switch-arm, a second contact arranged to beengaged by the rst contact when the primary switch is held in its normalposition by said detent, a third contact arranged to be engaged by saidprimary switch-arm when it is attracted by the primary v magnet, anelectric circuit leading to distant points in the railway on oppositesides of the point to be protected, and adapted to be closed at eitherof such distant points by an approaching train, said circuit includingthe primary switch-arm, its detent, and the releasing-magnet; a secondcircuit leading to distant points in the railway between the point to beprotected and the pointsincluded in the first circuit and adapted to beclosed by a train approaching in either direction after it has closedthe first circuit, said circuit including the aforesaid contactsassociated with the primary switch, the primary magnet and a source ofcurrent, and a third circuit leading to a point in the railway at ornear the point to be protected and adapted to be closed by a passingtrain, said circuit including the primary and secondary magnets andasource of current, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I hereto aiiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

URIAS J. FRY.

Witnesses:

CHAs. L. Goss, M. L. EMERY.

